Is Integrity that important?

Personal Study on Integrity

What is Integrity?

In Dictionary it means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness: the state of being whole and undivided.

In Youth With A Mission, to communicate with integrity is one of our foundational values. It says, YWAM affirms that anything exists because God communicates. Therefore, YWAM is committed to truthful, accurate, timely and relevant communication. We believe good communication is essential for strong relationships, healthy families, communities and effective ministry.

As I read the Book of Job, I wonder about his integrity. What is it with integrity that he cannot let go of? Is integrity more important than comfort or anything else?

In Job 2:3 it says, have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.

…Far be it from me to say that you are right, till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. (Read Job 27:1-5)

Job has strong moral principles. He holds fast to his integrity even when his wife asked him to deny God because of the suffering he is experiencing. As I read his story, I have seen how he talks to his friends. They could judge him as a self-righteous man but for Job, he knows his stand, he knows it deep in his heart that he does what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Integrity is keeping a commitment even after circumstances have changed.

Samuel is also a good example of integrity (1Samuel 12:1-4). We can see that Samuel shows integrity in his possessions, his business dealings and his treatment over people. Samuel hold himself accountable to the people he led.

Integrity does not apply to one area but to EVERY area of our lives. People want to know that we can be trusted and we follow through commitments. It also applies in keeping our words. It’s doing what we said. We walk the talk not just talk.

Biblical Integrity is not just doing the right thing, it’s a matter of having the right heart and allowing the person you are inside to match the person you are outside. It is doing the right thing even no one sees you. 

Integrity is one of the characters of our God. He never changes. When He speaks, he fulfills. In Hebrews 6:18 where is says God did not lie, that means He is the reliable source of our Hope. God’s commitment towards His people extends from generation to generations.

 *Image is from Google.